This is our 3rd
blog in our fertility-pregnancy blog series. In our last blog, we covered
female infertility and in this one will discuss male infertility.
In may come as a
surprise to many of us that about 50% of infertility cases are due to male
factor. Male factor can be caused by many dysfunctions such as sperm disorders,
anatomical abnormalities, hormonal disorders, immunological disorders,
lifestyle choices, genetic disease, and others as well. Any of these causes can
lead to several dysfunctions in the male reproductive system such as low sperm
production, misshapen or immobile sperm, blockages that prevent the delivery of
sperm, and other issues. The main symptom of male infertility is not being able
to conceive. Other symptoms may include sexual dysfunction, pain or swelling of
the testicular area, or decreased facial or body hair that may be a sign of a
hormonal imbalance.
In order to be able
to conceive, there must be healthy sperm being produced that are able to
fertilize the female egg. This process relies on many aspects of the
manufacturing and life of the sperm. These include:
- being able to produce healthy sperm
which stems from healthy reproductive organs, the production of testosterone
and other hormones for the manufacturing of sperm
- clear pathway for the sperm to move in
- a healthy number of sperm-any count
below 20 million sperm per milliliter in the semen is considered to be low
- motility (movement) and morphology
(shape) must be optimal
To have a clearer
understanding of what the medical reasons may be that can lead to male
infertility, it is also important to know exactly what the medical issue does
to the reproductive journey:
· varicocele- a swelling of the veins
that drain the testicle; this may prevent cooling of the testicle, leading to
low sperm count and fewer moving sperm
· infection-some infections can interfere with sperm production;
they may also cause scarring that blocks the passage of sperm
· retrograde ejaculation-when semen
enters the bladder during orgasm instead of exiting through the penis
· lack of ejaculation-this may be caused
by spinal cord damage or certain diseases; this causes an issue with
ejaculation but not with the production of sperm
· antibodies that attack sperm-anti-sperm
antibodies that attack the sperm; this is seen often after a vasectomy
· tumors-can affect the reproductive
organs directly
· chromosomal defects-can cause abnormal
development of reproductive organs
· certain medications-can impair sperm
production
Along with the above
listed medical causes, male infertility can be strongly impacted by
environmental causes such as pesticides, heavy metal exposure, exposure to
radiation or x-rays, overheating of the testicles (prolonged hot tub use), and
prolonged bicycling. We can also look closely at lifestyle choices that can
greatly affect male fertility. These include alcohol use, drug use, smoking,
stress, vitamin deficiency, weight, and age.
When going in to have
an evaluation with a Western practitioner, there are standard testing
procedures that are done. These include a physical examination including
medical history and a semen analysis. Other testing such as ultrasound, genetic
testing, and others may de done if they are needed. Treatments may include
medications, hormonal treatment, or surgery.
When we look at male
fertility from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) viewpoint, we look at all
aspects of the physical symptoms along with emotional and mental activity that
play a role in our physical layers. In TCM, the various energies in our bodies
are out of balance in some way that is related to male factor. We see these
imbalances in the kidney yin and yang and also in the spleen qi. Another
possible cause is a stagnation of damp-heat in the reproductive organs. In the
situation of varicocele, we see a blood stasis pattern. These terms and
descriptions may sound mysterious but basically they are how we talk about our
hormones, tissues, and organs from a TCM perspective. Some common symptoms we
see associated within TCM patterns are:
- · kidney yang deficiency: low back pain,
aversion to cold, low libido
- · dampness heat: frequent urination, low
abdominal pain, phlegmy cough
These signs along
with other possible ones can easily and effectively be treated with TCM.
Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and nutritional recommendations have quick and
impressive results for male factor symptoms. The way these work is by simply
naturally adjusting the hormones that may be out of balance causing a symptom
or by unblocking an area in the reproductive system that is hindering
conception. The changes are seen quickly due to the fact of how many sperm are
produced everyday-every (healthy) man produces about 85 million sperm per day.
So, this gives us an idea of how many opportunities there are for our bodies to
produce many, many healthy sperm. Along with acupuncture and herbs, we see
great changes when specific supplements are added into a patient’s daily
routine, such as zinc and antioxidants. Also, sleep and stress levels are
important factors as well. We must have adequate sleep every night to allow for
our housekeeping duties to be taken care of during those hours of each day,
such as detoxification. Managing our stress levels has a positive effect on
sperm production and conception. Meditation and relaxation techniques are
wonderful tools to use to help our bodies physiologically manage stress.
TCM treatment is
effectively used along with Western treatments or used alone to help support
the reproductive system and producing healthy sperm.
Caroline Jung, MSOM,
L.Ac.
